A position detecting device used for positional adjustment of a radar sensor serving as an object detector mounted in a vehicle includes a connecting structure connected to the radar sensor, and a position reference holder that is supported by the connecting structure in a state in which a biasing force toward an initial position is applied, that is displaced against the biasing force in a state in which the connecting structure is connected to the radar sensor and that is pushed against a position reference of the radar sensor in a floating support state.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A position detecting device used for positional adjustment of an object detector mounted on a vehicle, the position detecting device comprising: a connecting structure that is connected to the object detector; and a position reference member that is supported by the connecting structure in a state in which a biasing force toward an initial position is applied, that is displaced against the biasing force in a state in which the connecting structure is connected to the object detector, that is pushed against a position reference of the object detector in a floating support state and that is configured to support a sensor main body which detects a position of the object detector.
2. The position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure comprises a holding member that holds the object detector upon connection to the object detector, the holding member comprises a guiding section that comes in contact with the object detector and that defines a relative position of the holding member with respect to the object detector, and the position reference member is supported by the holding member.
3. The position detecting device according to claim 2 , wherein the holding member comprises a first abutting section that abuts a connecting section of the object detector from a first side in a first direction, the holding member is supported by a main body section of the connecting structure in a state in which a first biasing force is applied toward a second side in the first direction, and the holding member pushes the first abutting section against the connecting section of the object detector and holds the connecting section of the object detector while being displaced to the first side in the first direction against the first biasing force.
4. The position detecting device according to claim 3 , wherein the connecting structure further comprises a second holding member that holds the object detector together with the holding member, the second holding member comprises a second abutting section that abuts the connecting section of the object detector from the second side in the first direction, and the first abutting section and the second abutting section hold the connecting section of the object detector sandwiched therebetween in a state in which the holding member is displaced to the first side in the first direction against the first biasing force.
5. The position detecting device according to claim 4 , wherein the second holding member is a lever member that extends in the first direction and that is swingable about a swing shaft crossing the first direction, the lever member comprises a lever protrusion that protrudes toward the second side in the first direction so as to overlap the object detector when seen in the first direction, the lever member is supported by the main body section in a state in which a second biasing force is applied to cause the lever protrusion to approach the object detector, and the lever protrusion comprises the second abutting section at the first side in the first direction, and a guide section, which is inclined so that more second side thereof in the first direction is more separated from the object detector, at the second side in the first direction.
6. The position detecting device according to claim 5 , wherein the connecting structure comprises: a pressing member that is movable toward the second side in the first direction with respect to the main body section and that is capable of performing a pushing operation toward the second side in the first direction upon connection to the object detector; a restricting member that is integrally movably supported by the pressing member, that is engageable with the lever member in the first direction and that restricts movement of the pressing member when engaged with the lever member in the first direction; and a recognition section that allows a worker to recognize that the pressing member has moved toward the second side in the first direction, wherein the restricting member allows movement of the pressing member toward the second side in the first direction without engaging with the lever member in the first direction in a state in which the lever member is swung such that the lever protrusion overlaps the object detector when seen in the first direction, and the restricting member engages with the lever member in the first direction and restricts movement of the pressing member toward the second side in the first direction in a state in which the lever member is swung such that the lever protrusion does not overlap the object detector when seen in the first direction.
7. The position detecting device according to claim 5 , wherein the lever member comprises an operation unit that swingably operates the lever member against the second biasing force.
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June 12, 2018
December 22, 2020
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